Flames and Keys
by XxyoshixanimexX
Summary: Meeting by chance starts Natsu and Lucy's friendship. However, now that a local gang has targeted Lucy, Natsu is her only protection. Follow the adventures! *I got permission to rewrite this from Stellar Flames *The dragons never left and Lucy's mother is still alive. *Pairings: Nalu, Stilu, Gruvia, Gale, and Jerza *Contains violence, mild sexual themes, and a bit of OOC


Lucy stared at herself in the full-view mirror on her bedroom wall to make sure she looked absolutely perfect for her first day of school, when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in!" she shouted, assuming it was a maid or her mother coming to check on her. The door opened and in came her mother, Layla Heartfilia. As her mother entered the room, Lucy pulled on her blazer as a part of her school uniform.

"Are you ready for your first day?" her mom asked, walking a little closer to Lucy.

"I guess so," Lucy replied, straightening her tie with a placid look on her face, still staring in the mirror.

"Is everything okay?" Layla wore a concerned look on her face as she leaned on the wall.

"I'm just a little nervous, I guess?" Lucy replied, hesitant about going to back to the snotty school she went to.

"You have nothing to be nervous about. The limo will take you to school then bring you straight back here. Oh, and I've also persuaded your father to cease your bodyguards from following you." Layla said to Lucy reassuringly, smiling at how grown up she had gotten.

"Thank you mum," Lucy replied, returning her mother's warm smile.

"That's quite alright sweetie."

Lucy started to slip her shoes on and grabbed her bag. "Well, I guess I'm ready to go then!"

"I'll be right here when you get back, but for now, can I settle for a hug?" Layla asked, extending her arms towards Lucy, smiling brightly.

"Of course mum." Lucy replied, engulfing herself in her mother's embrace. After a few seconds, Lucy pulled away. "Well, it's about time to go now, but don't worry, I'll be home soon enough!"

"Alright, have a good day." Layla said, waving goodbye to Lucy with a warm motherly smile on her face.

"Bye mum!" Lucy said, walking out of her room, down her large spiraling staircase, and out the door to the awaiting limo. _I'll try to have a good day._ Lucy thought as a response to her mother's previous statement. She walked down to the car where a driver was standing by the limo holding the door open for her.

"Good morning, Miss Heartfilia." The man greeted her as she approached the transportation to school.

"Good morning." She replied, lightly stepping into the car. The driver closed the door as soon as she was completely in and got into the driver's seat.

They were about half-way to school when a group of five high school kids came into view, catching Lucy's attention. There was a strict looking girl with long, scarlet hair, another girl, younger though, with long dark blue hair, one more with short silvery-white hair, and then two guys, one with raven colored hair, and then one with pinkish-salmon colored hair.

"Oi, stripper, why were you late this morning?" the salmon haired one, Natsu, hissed.

"Shut it flame brain, I slept in this morning, gotta problem with it?" the raven haired one, Gray, retorted.

"Betcha you were staying up all night thinking about _Juvia!_" Natsu smirked with pride at the other's embarrassment.

"Shut up, at least I have a girlfriend!"

"Meh," was all Natsu could reply, not wanting to delve on the subject for much longer.

"Cut it out you two!" the scarlet, Erza, hissed, as she adjusted her glasses.

"Yes ma'am!" Natsu shouted obediently, yet a little terrified.

"S-sure," Gray stammered with the same fear as the other, just not as much obedience.

"You two sure haven't changed." The white haired girl, Lisanna, smiled nostalgically, as if remembering the two at a younger age doing the exact same thing as they were doing now.

The younger one, Wendy, went up to the stop light and pressed a button for crossing the street as soon as they got there. While the others were waiting more patiently, Natsu was bouncing up and down repeatedly on his feet until the crossing light had a person walking across on it.

"FIIIIINALLY!" he shouted in annoyance, bolting across the road as the others follow behind him. When most of them were across, Wendy noticed that something was missing from her bag and looked at the road to find her plush cat in one of the lanes.

"Carla!" she shrieked, trying to run after it. Natsu stopped her and ran out to get it for her.

"Natsu-san, please be careful!" Wendy sobbed into her hands at the thought of Natsu and Carla being hurt because of her foolish incompetence.

"It's alright, I've got her, see?" Natsu shouted to them, jogging back across the road.

"What the he-!" the driver of Lucy's limo shouted as the vehicle swerved to avoid hitting Natsu. Unfortunately, the limo crashed in a pole instead of a safe retreat.

"Holy sh-!" Natsu started, falling backwards and landing on the hard pavement. "Ow…"

"Not now Natsu!" Erza hissed, yanking him up as she ran to the limo. "And if I ever hear you even _try _to swear again, I will slit your throat!"

"Are you okay?" Lisanna asked Natsu, looking back and forth from the left and right side of the road several times before crossing.

"Natsu-san, are you okay?" Wendy asked worriedly, knowing it was safe to cross since Lisanna made sure before her.

"Y-yeah, I'm…f-fine." Natsu stammered, still shaken as he was dragged to the crashed limo by Erza.

"We should check to see if anyone got hurt!" Wendy suggested, trailing behind Lisanna as they walked towards the limo.

"Yeah, I think Erza's going to make me whether I want to or not!" Natsu laughed half-heartedly as he tried to independently walk, but only met the ground each time as Erza forced him back down.

"Natsu, check the damage. I expect you to do this since you were the one who caused it in the first place." Erza demanded sternly.

"Aye!" he obeyed, dashing to the door to see an unconscious driver. "Shi-ot," he paused, looking back at Erza to see she noticed his slip up. "The drivers unconscious!"

"Is anyone in the back?" Lisanna asked, peering over at Natsu from her place near the others.

"Um, lemme check!" Natsu yelled back, jogging over to the passenger side to check for anyone. "Yeah, it looks like there's a girl in the back; I'll try to get her out." Natsu went for the door handle and pulled, only to find out that it wouldn't budge one bit.

On the inside Lucy tried to pull on the inner door handle, only to come out with the same results as Natsu. While she tried to pull on the handle her hand slipped and she fell back. "Ouch, that hurt!" Lucy complained frowning. "Why won't it budge?" she whined.

Natsu took off his jacket and wrapped it around his elbow before hitting the window with it. The window caved in, but not before Lucy had time to back away from the door to avoid injury.

"Oi, Gray!" Natsu yelled. "Give me a hand will 'ya?"

"Fine," Gray sighed, walking over to Natsu. "What do you need me for?"

"You pull, and I'll push, comprende?" Natsu ordered Gray.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not an idiot like you." Gray said. "I'll do it."

Natsu then climbed into the limo through the broken window, making Lucy cower in the corner of the back of the limo. "W-ho are you, and w-what do you w-want?" Lucy asked shakily, eyeing Natsu.

"It's alright, I'm Natsu, and those are my friends. And don't worry, we'll get'cha outta here!" Natsu told Lucy grinning.

"Okay, N-Natsu." Lucy replied fearfully, feeling Natsu's name roll off of her tongue.

Natsu smiled then turned back to Gray. "Okay, you ready Gray?" Natsu asked, bracing himself against the door.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Gray replied.

"On three! One, two, THREE!" Natsu yelled, and then once he got to three, he pushed against the door while Gray pulled. It took about a minute until the door actually moved though.

"Why is this thing so stubborn?" Gray hissed, gritting his teeth as he pulled harder.

"Y-yeah," Natsu hissed back, pushing as hard as he could, when a crack of light shone through the door.

Then, without any warning, the door slid open, causing Gray to fall backwards on the pavement of the road, and Natsu to fall on top of the door.

"Owwww," Natsu groaned, rubbing his head.

"A-are you okay?" Lucy asked, half-stepping out of the limo warily.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Natsu said, giving his signature grin while starting to stand up.

"That's good!" Lucy said, sighing in relief. She then stepped out of the limo to observe the damage. "Oh crap," she started groaning. "Dad's definitely going to flip.

"Yeah…" Natsu started awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head and smiling apologetically. "Sorry about that."

Suddenly Erza grabbed Natsu by his shirt, "I'm sorry but we must get going, we're already late for school." With that Erza started to drag him with her."

"O-oi, Erza!?" Natsu protested, having no option but to follow.

"Come on, Natsu-san!" Wendy smiled sweetly, grabbing Natsu's hand to pull him along.

Stunned, Lucy stood on the sidewalk. Soon she decided to call her mum to inform her of the damages.

"Lucy, is something the matter?" Layla asked, sounding concerned.

"There's been a car crash, the driver was injured and is currently in the hospital." Lucy replied, hoping she wouldn't get in trouble in the near future.

"A car crash, are you alright?" Layla exclaimed worriedly into the phone.

"I'm fine mum, I got help. Some public school students helped me get out of the car. They were really nice to do so."

"Do you want me to send you another car to get to school in?" Layla asked, relieved that her daughter was safe. "Where are you by the way?"

"About half way to school, near an intersection." She replied, looking at her surroundings.

"Alright, stay safe and I'll send the car."

"Alright, mum."

Layla hung up the phone and started to do as she promised.

Lucy hung up and slipped her phone into her bag.


End file.
